What Should You Do If Someone Collapses and You Are Not CPR Certified?
Last Updated: February 23, 2026
Someone collapses in front of you. They are not breathing normally. You are not CPR certified. What do you do?
You help. Here is exactly how.
After this situation, you will want to get trained. Here is where to do it.
Step 1: Call 911 Immediately
Call 911 or tell someone nearby to call. Put the phone on speaker so you can talk to the dispatcher while you help. The dispatcher will guide you through every step. They are trained to coach untrained bystanders through CPR in real time.
Do not assume someone else has already called. Make the call yourself or point to a specific person and say, "You, call 911 right now."
Step 2: Push Hard and Fast on the Center of the Chest
Place the heel of one hand on the center of the chest (on the breastbone, between the nipples). Place your other hand on top. Lock your elbows. Push hard and push fast.
You are aiming for at least 2 inches deep at a rate of 100 to 120 pushes per minute. That is roughly the tempo of "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees. Do not worry about being perfect. Any compression is better than no compression.
Do not stop to give breaths. Hands-only CPR, which is just continuous chest compressions, is effective for adults in sudden cardiac arrest and is exactly what the AHA recommends for untrained bystanders.
Step 3: Do Not Stop Until Help Arrives
Keep pushing. Do not stop to check if the person is breathing. Do not stop to reposition them. Just keep pushing until paramedics physically take over, an AED is available and prompting you, or the person starts breathing normally and responds.
If you get tired, ask someone else to take over. Compressions lose effectiveness when the rescuer is fatigued. Take turns if help is available.
You Cannot Make Things Worse
The person is in cardiac arrest. Without intervention, they will die. CPR can only help. You will not be sued (Colorado's Good Samaritan law protects you). You may crack a rib (this is normal and expected). You may not save them (most cardiac arrests are fatal even with intervention). But you will give them a chance they would not otherwise have.
If an AED Is Nearby
If someone brings an AED, turn it on and follow the voice prompts. It will tell you exactly what to do, including where to place the pads and when to press the shock button. You cannot accidentally shock someone who does not need it. The device will only advise a shock when it detects a shockable rhythm.
Learn where AEDs are located in Denver and how they work.
After the Emergency: Get Trained
If you have been through this experience, or if reading this made you realize you want to be more prepared, get CPR certified. A class takes just 2 to 3 hours and transforms you from an uncertain bystander into a confident, effective rescuer.
CPR-Professionals offers AHA-certified classes at our Denver and Boulder training centers. No medical background needed. No prior experience required. Just a willingness to learn a skill that could save someone's life.
